New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Xavier collects 7th straight SCC title
NEW HAVEN — Despite losing seven of its eight top runners from last season to graduation, it was deja vu all over again for the Xavier boys cross country team at the Southern Connecticut Conference cross country championships on Wednesday.
The Falcons won the team title for the seventh straight season with 32 points. Guilford was second with 81 points and Hand was third with 109. It is Xavier’s 16th title overall. Xavier also won the individual title for the fourth straight year with Alex Ushchak, the lone returner from last season, winning in 16 minutes, 2.8 seconds. Liam Fedigan of Law was second in 16:12.20 and Harry Grenier of Hand was third in 16:15.20.
“We talked this week about the success we’ve been having this season after losing so many runners to graduation, and the reason we have done well this season and in the past is no secret,” Xavier coach Chris Stonier said. “They put in the hard work. Our guys are together 12 months a year, they work together during the off time (summer) and they collectively put in the effort to develop and improve.
“Our first priority is to get a team victory. Getting an individual win is
the cherry on top. Alex ran a great race, but all our guys did well. The plan was to run in a pack, they did that and it’s why we had five runners finish in the top 13 places. Some of our guys improved their times by 1 or 2 minutes.”
Finishing behind Ushchak were teammates Owen Martin in fourth place (16:17.30), Nicholas Cassarino in fifth (16:20), Cameron Nephew in ninth (16:56) and Jack Ouellette in 13th (17:15.40).
Ushchak ran the kind of race he always runs — stay close to the front pack of runners most of the race and make a move at the right time in the last mile.
“I was right behind the front pack of four runners and halfway into the race I really felt comfortable,” Ushchak said. “I still felt good after two miles and that’s when I felt I had to make a move. There were so many good runners in this race, that I knew if I wanted to win, I had to take the lead at that point and run hard the rest of the way.
“This win feels great, it’s exciting, but more important we got the team win and it feels great to contribute to that victory.”
Ushchak credits one thing for the success the team is having this season.
“It is camaraderie,” Ushchak said. “We have a close group of guys who get along and work a lot together. During the summer we run together four times a week. We are always working hard to improve. We also have a young group of guys who are talented and hungry to get out there and compete.”
At the end of the meet, Cheshire girls cross country coach Rob Schaefer was named SCC girls cross country coach of the year and Stonier was named the SCC boys cross country coach of the year.